Suddenly stopped laying

[silversealilies]

Hi all, I have 9 hens and 1 roo and all 9 of my girls have recently stopped laying. They’re not any particular breed (rescue mutts!). 3 are older, but 6 are only a year old.

They all molted and pretty much stopped laying over the winter, but we were getting a steady 7-9 eggs for at least 6-8 weeks, but all of a sudden last week they stopped laying.

They’re free range, so we thought they might be laying out if their coop (which they’ve done before), but there’s not a trace. We locked them in the coop for the last 3 days and still no eggs.

We feed them layers pellets and sunflower seeds, sometimes some chicken corn or kitchen scraps, and they free range whatever they can find.

I’ve checked all for mites and they all look completely clean and totally healthy. No weird behaviour, combs are upright and bright, etc.

Any ideas??

 

[sourland]

Sounds like a normal break in their laying cycles - especially if you provided supplemental lighting throughout the winter.

 

[-Isla June-]

Yes, either a normal break or going broody. Have your chickens already gone broody? It could be that they need more nutrients, but what you are feeding them sounds great. Here is a great mention. @nuthatched @Kiki @Eggcessive @Dr Evy @All4Eggz

 

[silversealilies]

@Everly808 They all take turns going broody every now and again, but none are broody at the moment - they all just hang out by the house, doing their standard chicken-y things (dust baths, scratching, napping) - no broodiness.
@sourland I didn't realise chickens had normal laying breaks during the spring/summer - how long do these normally last?

 

[sourland]

@Everly808 They all take turns going broody every now and again, but none are broody at the moment - they all just hang out by the house, doing their standard chicken-y things (dust baths, scratching, napping) - no broodiness.
@sourland I didn't realise chickens had normal laying breaks during the spring/summer - how long do these normally last?

Spring/summer is not the usual time flocks will take a break, but sometimes (especially if they have received supplemental lighting) they will do so.

 

[Chookiemom]

Yeah I assumed the molting was the break.

 

[628990]

I heard some sexlinks (golden comets for example) can just stop laying at 2 years of age... True?? While some hens will continue to lay at a decreasing rate (which I know is true)

I personally have a sexlink 2 year old hen who hasn't laid an egg since November/December! I am starting to think either she is finished laying, or she is delayed

The post with this information....
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...an-egg-in-over-5-months.1136671/post-17613485

 

[Chookiemom]

Hopefully its just a little break and gets started but november is quite some time. I read one of the threads here of someones 10 year old hen laying after a long break.

 

[628990]

I hope so too.
But I guess this is known to happen with some sexlink golden comets? I find some threads with posts saying that after 2 years for sexlinks, they might stop laying altogether or have their laying rate decrease (which is the most common among chickens)

 

[All4Eggz]

Hi all, I have 9 hens and 1 roo and all 9 of my girls have recently stopped laying. They’re not any particular breed (rescue mutts!). 3 are older, but 6 are only a year old.

They all molted and pretty much stopped laying over the winter, but we were getting a steady 7-9 eggs for at least 6-8 weeks, but all of a sudden last week they stopped laying.

They’re free range, so we thought they might be laying out if their coop (which they’ve done before), but there’s not a trace. We locked them in the coop for the last 3 days and still no eggs.

We feed them layers pellets and sunflower seeds, sometimes some chicken corn or kitchen scraps, and they free range whatever they can find.

I’ve checked all for mites and they all look completely clean and totally healthy. No weird behaviour, combs are upright and bright, etc.

Any ideas??

I agree with the others- it does sound like a normal laying break.
Laying pellets should make up the bulk of their diet. How much sunflower seeds and chicken corn are you giving them? These should only be given as treats.

Hoping they begin laying again!